New Main Menu

Lamingtons

A Delectable Cakey Chocolatey Coconutty Australia Day Treat

(Photo by Alan Benson)

Australia Day (26th January – each and every year) celebrates our amazing Australia.

It marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet, and the raising of the British flag in (what was to become) Sydney. And of course, in true Australian style, celebrations abound across the land. We salute our diverse society and multicultural people, we reflect on Australian history – the good and the bad, we honour those who have achieved great things and we welcome new Aussies with citizenship ceremonies.

And it is a day for drinking beer and eating lamingtons (among other things of course!)

The lamington is, in essence, a square (actually a rectangle, more traditionally) of sponge cake (butter cake, pound cake, white cake) which is quickly coated in a light icing (really more a glaze than an icing) and then rolled generously in coconut.

It can be made with home made cake, leftover cake or bought cake. If the cake is a tiny bit stale, it is easier to roll but then won’t be as delicious to eat. So you need to find the balance.

This recipe comes from Railea Don and is published in our first book ‘Monday Morning Cooking Club – the food, the stories, the sisterhood’. Railea’s lamington story is as delectable as her lamingtons. “I taught this to so many students over the years at the Sydney County Council. It was a staple recipe and always a favourite. It is known as the ‘2 4 6 8’ recipe as it has 2 eggs, 4 oz butter, 6 oz sugar and 8 oz flour (and 1⁄2 cup liquid). I also used this recipe to make hundreds of lamingtons for the annual fete at the Montefiore (aged care) Home. Every year my kitchen would be filled with thirty slabs of cake, lined up on every work surface possible, ready for covering in masses of dripping chocolate and coconut. People would drop in, roll up their sleeves and all have a turn at dipping and rolling.”

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Gradually add the flour, alternating with the milk or orange juice. Mix together well, then pour the mixture evenly into the prepared tin. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.

Cut the cake into 4 cm squares, trimming the edges if necessary.

Mix the icing sugar and cocoa together in a bowl. Put the butter into the hot water to melt, and mix into the icing sugar mixture until thick and smooth. Drop the cake squares into the chocolate, ensuring the cake is fully covered, then remove very quickly. Drain the cake on a wire rack for a few seconds. Using a large cooking fork, roll in the coconut.

Share this Recipe

Print Recipe

About Lisa Goldberg

Lisa is now happily entrenched in the Monday Morning Cooking Club as Chief Pot Stirrer, a delicious change from starting professional life as a solicitor. It has been such a joy for her since 2006 to be with this truly amazing bunch of gorgeous women to produce and publish three extraordinary cookbooks. She is a fresser with enormous (and sometimes unbridled!) passion for food and cooking. She hangs onto the part of Jewish culture which embodies the saying ‘it’s always about the food’. This project has changed her life and pushed her obsession with food to a whole new level.

3 Responses to Lamingtons

I can’t understand what took me so long to make lamingtons when they have always been 1 of my favorites and I’m 63.
I live in Jerusalem (exSydneyite, knew Talia very well). I tried them for last Shabbat. Well, Israeli cocoa is heavy but by the next day, on Shabbat, they had become very yummy and we finished all them up.
By the way, if you ever want to film a show here in Jerusalem, my daughter has a fantastic kitchen! You are most welcome….
Jennie (Shelly) Breuer.

Hi Jennie
So lovely to hear from you, and so special to hear that you knew Talia. We miss her very much. I’m glad you had lamington success – they are really SO delicious. And thanks for your Jerusalem kitchen offer, it is very sweet of you.
Best wishes
Lisa x